NCForward: A Strategic Vision

Founding Principles

Since North Central’s founding in 1861, the vision of first president Augustine A. Smith has been at the core of the College’s values: “A college should be a great moral lighthouse, sending out a clear and steady light upon all subjects that pertain to the well-being of [humanity] in this world and the world to come.”

NCForward is the result of collaboration from across all parts of the College to articulate institutional strategies that will guide both short- and long-term operational plans. We are focused on keeping the College moving in the direction of our North Star—our purpose as an institution.

mission statement

We are a diverse community of learners dedicated to preparing students to be curious, engaged, ethical, and purposeful citizens and leaders in local, national and global contexts.

ncforward

Our North Star—our purpose—as an institution is to deliver a transformational, high-quality education that intentionally integrates the liberal arts with pre-professional and professional studies, resulting in exceptional post-graduation outcomes for our students.

NCForward represents a collective vision for North Central College’s future, building on its history of academic excellence and community engagement while addressing the challenges of an evolving higher education landscape. It reaffirms the College’s mission to prepare students to be curious, engaged, ethical, and purposeful citizens and leaders, while ensuring the institution remains sustainable, inclusive, and innovative.


Five Pillars

NCForward prioritizes five key pillars:

  1. Institutional Identity
  2. Student Experience and Engagement
  3. Financial and Operational Sustainability
  4. Community Values
  5. Faculty and Staff Experience

Through these five pillars, the plan identifies actionable strategies to strengthen the College’s academic programs, enhance campus life, expand opportunities for all members of the community, and position the College as a leader in higher education.

In the months ahead, all divisions across the College will work toward operationalizing NCForward, including the identification of tactics, quantitative goals, timelines, and metrics for assessing progress and success.

Content on this page will continue to be updated as this work progresses.